


bleed the magic out

by ophanims



Category: Waterparks (Band)
Genre: Ghosts, M/M, Possession, Vague love confessions, Violence, they'll work it out eventually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-28 09:10:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18753343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ophanims/pseuds/ophanims
Summary: “Yo, how many people do you think watching thought that was bullshit?”





	bleed the magic out

**Author's Note:**

> takes place immediately after jawn's 02/13/19 stream which was the ghost stories one, for context

“Yo, how many people do you think watching thought that was bullshit?” Awsten had asked as soon as Jawn shut off the stream. The other man brought his hands to his face with a huff. 

“All of them, probably. But y’know, I can’t really blame them. It does sound kinda far-fetched,” Jawn replied, glancing at his friend.

“Kinda far-fetched?” Awsten sat up, staring stunned at Jawn with a hand on his forehead. “Dude, you fuckin’ lived through that, had a pentagram carved in your fucking skin, and you still don’t believe it was a ghost?”

“I didn’t say that! I just-”

“Oh my God, I can’t believe you!” Awsten cut Jawn off, his voice growing louder. “Dude, if Elijah and Nick were here, you’d never hear the end of it.”

Jawn rolled his eyes with a laugh. “Good thing they’re not, then. You’ll just have to live with my skepticism.”

“Don’t even try, dude. I’ll call them. I’ll get them to exorcise you, in fact, I’ll-”

Awsten stopped mid-sentence, frowning down at Jawn’s chest. “Hey, what the fuck is that?” He reached out to brush his fingers down his friend’s shoulder, a light touch that made Jawn shiver. He felt a blush crawl up his cheeks at the gesture, and he was about to move away when Awsten gasped, loud and sudden, startling him. 

Awsten’s fingers were coated in a black, sticky, foul-smelling substance.

“Oh shit, am I bleeding?”

“Jawn, if your blood looks like this, you should see a fucking doctor.”

Awsten held his hand out for Jawn to see.

Whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t blood, but it _was_ definitely oozing out of Jawn’s shirt, thick and heavy.

Awsten covered his mouth with his clean hand, trying not to gag as he spun his chair around to gasp for air. Jawn’s blood felt like ice through his veins. Both of them knew what this was, but neither of them wanted to say it.

Jawn was the first to speak up.

“Mirror. Now.”

The two men rushed into the bathroom, flipping on the light. Jawn felt oddly weak, dizzy, nearly dissociating as Awsten helped him in. He let out a shaky breath as he looked at his reflection.

His skin was a ghostly white, clammy and gross. He looked- and felt- deathly ill. He tried to speak, but his throat was dry, the only sound escaping a painful rasp. Awsten sat him down on the toilet, running a hand gently through his friend’s long hair.

Jawn wished he could have done that in literally any other circumstance than this one. Fuck, maybe he really was cursed.

“I’m gonna take off your shirt, okay Jawn?” Awsten brushed a thumb across Jawn’s cheek, comforting and bringing him back to the moment. Jawn’s heart constricted and he couldn’t tell if it was because of the massive crush he had on Awsten or the devil trying to steal his fucking soul.

Not that it mattered, because either way, Jawn was fucked.

Awsten held his breath as he slowly peeled off the ruined shirt, which was probably permanently stained black by whatever the hell was coming out of his body.

“Holy shit,” Awsten breathed once Jawn’s shirt was off. Jawn kept his head back, eyes closed, trying to keep his head from spinning. 

“What is it?” Jawn whispered. He didn’t have to ask. He already knew. His entire body felt like it was on fire, melting from the inside out, like there was something trying to escape. Something evil.

Jawn reached his arms out, motioning for Awsten to help him stand, which the other man gladly did. He forced his eyes open as Awsten brought him to the mirror.

If he had any willpower or energy left in his body, Jawn would have screamed.

Sure enough, the pentagram was back, etched into that same spot from all those years ago. It was cut deep into his flesh, the disgusting black fluid steadily leaking out of it, dripping down onto the floor.

“Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit-” Awsten gripped a hand tight in his own hair, his knuckles white as he stared down the reflection.

The two men sat in stunned silence for a few moments before it finally hit.

Like a punch to the gut, Jawn recoiled with a scream, throwing his head back. His entire body felt like it was being torn to shreds, claws digging at his soul from the inside, something dark, evil, disgusting trying to surface, and Jawn needed to fight it off, fight back, save himself, save Awsten--

But he surrendered.

 

***

“Jawn. Jawn! Jawn, get the fuck up dude- Shit, shit-” Awsten’s voice was panicked, strained and airy as he shook his friend. Jawn had collapsed to the floor without warning, and he wasn’t breathing, still wasn’t--

Jawn sat up. Quick and automatic, like a robot snapping to life.

The air in the room felt cold.

Awsten knew something was wrong.

He knew that wasn’t Jawn.

Whoever- _Whatever_ it was, it turned its- Jawn’s- head to stare directly at Awsten. 

Every single nerve in Awsten’s body was telling him to run, get the fuck out of there, he was in danger. But he stood still. He wasn’t going to abandon Jawn.

Jawn slowly rose to his feet, maintaining eye contact. His eyes were dark, cold, soulless. Awsten could feel his gaze burning deep into his soul, reading every little thing he does, has done. Collecting information.

“You aren’t Jawn.”

Awsten’s voice was steady, a surprise to even himself, and he thanked whatever force was on his side right now. God knows he needed it.

Jawn grinned. “It’s nice to meet you, Awsten.”

The ghost’s voice was like nails on a chalkboard to Awsten, sending chills through his body. He flexed his fingers, trying to keep his blood flowing as he continued staring it down.

“How do you know my name?”

“I’ve been with your little friend here for oh so long,” Jawn said, his voice monotone. “I know many things. About you. About Jawn. About the band. About a certain one’s… Feelings for you.” Jawn sneered at Awsten, a disgusted look on his face. 

Awsten’s heart seemed to stop for a moment. Feelings? What?

He chose not to press on that.

“You’ve been here with us for this long, why are you only doing this now?” Awsten decided on a different line of questioning. He hoped the ghost couldn’t hear the fearful pounding of his heart.

“You and your _friend_ here never questioned what exactly was happening to his body, have you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Recognition is powerful. Every time Jawn spoke of me, told his story, talked about what happened that night… The marking would appear, correct?”

Awsten’s blood ran cold as it dawned on him.

“Oh my God, the stream.”

Jawn grinned, wicked and evil, impossibly wide.

“Telling that story to all those people, and leaving it available for anyone to watch, listen to, repeat as many times as their souls desire?” The ghost’s laugh cut through Awsten’s body like freezing wind, but he stood his ground.

“What the fuck did you do to him? I know he’s in there.”

“I have his soul locked away, deep in his head. With every tick of the clock, he begins to fade. Soon, the only Jawn here will be me. I’m sure you can get used to calling me Jason instead, hmm?”

Something snapped inside Awsten and he lunged at the ghost-- Jason. He landed a punch across Jason’s jaw, making him recoil and stagger back. But he recovered quickly, grabbing Awsten by the wrist with a steel-hard grip. Jason leaned in close, staring Awsten deep in the eyes. 

Awsten took deep breaths, the fear finally starting to affect him. He was trembling hard, tears burning behind his eyes. He felt one drip down his chin.

Jason twisted his arm and Awsten’s wrist snapped like a twig, raising a gutteral scream from the man. Jason let go of him then and Awsten’s knees buckled, and he hit the ground with a hard _thump_.

“Oh, this is just sad,” Jason remarked from above, sounding bored. He cocked a hip against the sink. 

Awsten shakily rose to his feet, glaring daggers into Jason’s eyes. Jason just stared blankly before swinging at Awsten’s face, his fist cracking across his cheek, sending Awsten stumbling backwards and out of the bathroom. He hit the wall, trying to grab whatever he could with his good hand for support.

He was crying now, shaky sobs escaping his throat as he watched Jason approach. He felt weak, defeated as Jason held him by the throat, lifting him up against the wall. His cold dead eyes were painful for Awsten to see. Jawn’s eyes, once were full of light and joy, were now empty and dark.

“Jawn-” Awsten choked out a whisper.

“Jawn, I know you’re in there, please-”

There was a shift in the energy around them. It was subtle, brief, but Awsten felt it.

He felt hope.

Jason’s grip tightened and Awsten’s vision darkened. 

But he wasn’t giving up.

He thought back to what Jason had said.

Feelings for him.

He knew what he had to do.

Summoning what little strength he had, he leaned in, fighting against the ghost’s grip, and he kissed Jawn. 

Not Jason.

_Jawn._

And as crazy as it may seem, Jawn felt it. And with that kiss came his willpower, rushing into his soul.

Jawn fought back.

Jason recoiled, dropping Awsten from the wall. His head hit the ground with a sickening crack and everything went dark.

 

***

 

Awsten woke up in a hospital bed.

Everything hurt. He couldn’t feel his left hand- the wrist that Jason broke. He couldn’t see it, but he figured it was in a cast.

He felt a squeeze around his good hand.

He tried to turn his head but it was held in place by bandages, keeping his head off the pillow.

“Hey, no, no. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

_Jawn._

Awsten let out a relieved cry, shutting his eyes tight.

“You saved me. I don’t know what you did, but… That thing, Jason, just… Went dormant, I think.”

_Dormant?_

“Yeah. He’s still here. I can feel him.”

_Oh. Oh God._

_Wait, was he saying this out loud?_

“Yeah. You are.”

_Shit._

Jawn chuckled. “So, I think you were right about that exorcism. We’re calling Elijah and Nick as soon as you’re released. But for now?”

Jawn leaned over the bed and pressed a gentle kiss against Awsten’s forehead, warm and comforting. 

“Get some sleep.”

**Author's Note:**

> sorry about the formatting it probably sucks. my bad  
> thanks for readin


End file.
